“Kansas State, despite what everyone is saying after the Wildcats’ 52-24 loss to Baylor on Saturday, is not in fact out of the title hunt,” Quinn wrote. “It’s a long shot, but the Wildcats could absolutely play the SEC champ in Miami for the whold darn thing. It obviously starts with Notre Dame… it isn’t a foregone conclusion that they’ll beat the Trojans. USC was the preseason No. 1 and, with the possible exception of Oklahoma, will be the most talented team the Irish will have played in the regular season. Rivalry games, especially on the road, are never a simple proposition. As much as Notre Dame deserves to be heavily favored here, USC will give them a tough game.”

Despite the fact that Notre Dame is unbeaten and unanimously chosen as the nation’s top-ranked team, the Fighting Irish are only favored by 5 1/2 points against a USC squad that has lost three of its last four games, including a 38-28 defeat against UCLA at the Rose Bowl last Saturday. But the Trojans are playing at home this weekend against rival Notre Dame, who has lost nine of its last 10 games against USC. The Fighting Irish have come closer to losing to lesser teams this year, registering three-point victories over 5-6 Purdue, 6-5 BYU and 4-7 Pittsburgh, who took them to triple overtime in South Bend earlier this month.

Even if the Trojans did pull off the upset this Saturday, Kansas State would still need more help to get into the national title game. The winner of the SEC title game, likely between Alabama and Georgia, would earn one spot in the BCS National Championship. Three other teams besides the Wildcats would vie for the other spot — Florida, Oregon and the ACC champion if it’s a one-loss Florida State or Clemson squad.

All of these candidates have chances to pick up quality wins before the teams in the national title game are determined. Florida and Florida State still play each other. Oregon is set to face Oregon State in its regular season finale before, if it gets some help from UCLA this weekend, a possible Pac-12 title game appearance. Clemson ends its regular season against South Carolina and Kansas State wraps its up against Texas.

But if Notre Dame falls to USC on Saturday, Kansas State is back in the national title game mix.

“Fans can hold out some small hope that the polls will scorn Florida to avoid a second straight year of an all-SEC title game with a worthy Big 12 team sitting out, but I wouldn’t expect that to happen,” Quinn continued. “If the Seminoles win, we’ll have all sorts of BCS chaos. Once the dust settles, three teams will have legitimate cases for No. 2. Voters (and the computers) would have to decide whether they want to send the best team (Oregon), the best conference champion (Kansas State) or the team that beat the best opponent (Florida State) to Miami. Considering the Big 12′s snub last year and Collin Klein’s Heisman candidacy, Kansas State might have an edge. However, Oregon and Florida State would be equally worthy candidates. Regardless of who the voters and computers would pick, that’s the scenario that has to happen for Kansas State to make the BCS National Championship Game. It’s not likely, but stranger things have definitely happened.”